Mail-crane.



PATBNTED NOV. 6, 1906.

G. J. GRAMBR.

MAIL CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1906.

W1 TNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

MAIL-CRANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

Application filed F r ry 13, 1906. Serial No. 300,887-

To aZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. ORAME'R, a. citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chamois, in the county of Osage and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mail-cranes for supporting mail-bags in position to be caught by the catcher-hook on the mail-car of a moving train, the object of the invention being to provide a simple construction of crane which is adapted to operate in such manner as to sustain the bag to permit it to be caught by the catcher-hook of a train moving in either direction along the track.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mail-crane having a swinging bagsupporting frame adapted to swing in either direction and to normally remam out of operative position, so that it will not constitute a source of danger to the passengers of moving trains or brakemen hanging on the ladders of freight trains.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-crane embodying my invention, showing the swinging frame arranged in operative position to support a mail-bag and indicating in dotted lines the catcher mechanism of a mail-car. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the crane with the bag removed, but still showing the swinging crane in operative position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the top of the post on the line of the sliding pivot-bolt, showing the swinging frame in normal position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the crane comprises a supportingpost 1, which may be fixed at its lower end to a suitable base or embedded in the ground andmay be sustained at each side by a bracing rod or iron 2. The upper end of the post carries a swinging bag-supporting frame 3, comprising a vertical body portion 4, having outwardly-extending upper and lower suspendin -arms 5 and 6.

The body portion 4 passes through and is journaled to swing in a horizontal plane in the eye members of eyebolts 7 and 8, extending horizontally through the post, the lower bolt 7 being provided with a securing-nut 9. The lower end of the body portion 4 of the swinging frame is provided with a bearingsurface 10 to engage the bolt 7, whereby the frame is held from downward movement.

The upper eye-bolt 8 is slidably mounted in the post and in brackets or wear-plates 11 and 12, fixed to the front and rear faces thereof, and said bolt is provided at its rear end with a nut or head 13, against which bears a coiled spring 14, encompassing the stem of the bolt between said head or nut and the rear bracket or wear-plate '12. The bracket 12 carries a rearwardly-projecting hood or shield 15, which extends over the rearwardly-projecting portion of the hood and the spring to protect the same from rain and snow; but any'other suitable form of protector may be employed. A bracket 16 is also fixed to the front wear-plate 11 and carries a forwardly-projecting guard or shield 17 to overlie the swinging frame and bag when the frame is in supporting position and prevent snow and rain from falling directly from above thereon.

On the body portion 4 of the swinging frame is a bearing pin or projection 18, adapted to engage the face of the bracket 11. This pin or projection is so arranged as to force the upper end of the swinging frame away from the post when it comes in contact with the bracket 11 and to thereby draw upon and slide the pivot-bolt '8 forward against the resistance of the spring 14, whereby the pressure of the spring and the frictional engagement of the pin 18 with the bracket 1 1 will hold the frame 3 in supporting position or extending directly outward from the front face of the post, as shown in Figs.

1 and 2. The swinging frame in such position is'adapted to hold the mail-bag in operative relation to the catcher-hook of a pass ing mail-car, as will be readily understood, and it will be apparent that the force ofengagement of the catcher-hook with the bag willswing the frame free on its pivot in the direction of movement of the passing train, and thereby slide the pin 18 out of engagement with the bracket-plate 11, allowing the spring 14 to expand and hold the swinging frame at right angles to its normal position. To reset the frame, it is swung by the operator to the supporting position (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) against the resistance of the spring, the arrangement of the pivotal connections allowing the frame to swing in either direction in an obvious manner, so that a bag may be supported therefrom to be caught by a train moving in either direction.

The bag 19 may be of any preferred con struction and is provided with end straps or lo0ps'20 and 21, carrying suspending-rings 22 to engage the free ends of the arms 5 and 6, one of the straps, such as the strap 21, being preferably adjustable to enable any slack resulting from the stretching of the bag to be taken up any time. Rings or loops 23, applied to the arms 5 and 6, hold the rings 22 from inward movement beyond the desired point and may act as handholds to enable the operator to conveniently swing the frame.

It will be seen that the crane is simplein construction, may be manufactured and erected at a comparatively low cost, and may be efficiently used along single-track railways for supportingbags to be taken up by trains passing in both directions. It will also be seen that when swung in either direction by the action of the catcher-hook engaging the bag the swinging frame will quickly release the bag, whose rings 22 will slide off the free ends of the arms 5 and 6, and the frame will remain in the position to which it is swung out of operative relation until again adjustedfor operation by the attendant 1n charge. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- .1 A mail-crane comprising a supportingpost, a bag-supporting frame mounted upon the post'for swinging and tilting movement, means for resisting the tilting movement of thaframe, and a projection upon the frame adapted to engage the post to tilt the frame and hold it in supporting position against the resistance of said resisting means.

2. A mail-crane comprising a supportingpost, eyebolts mounted upon said post, one

of said bolts having a sliding movement, a swinging frame pivotally mounted upon said bolts, said frame being adapted to swing in either direction thereon, a spring associated with the sliding bolt .to hold the swinging frame in any of its adjusted positions, and a projection upon the frame to engage the post to hold the frame in operative position against the resistance of said spring.

3. In a mail-crane, a post, a swinging frame mounted thereon and provided with suspending-arms, stops. upon the free ends of the arms to limit the inward movement of the bag suspended therefrom, said stops forming handholds and means for holding the frame in adjusted position.

4. In a mail-bag crane, the combination of a supportingpost, eyebolts carried by the post, one of said eyebolts having a sliding .movement, a spring for resisting forward movement of said sliding eyebolt, a swinging frame journaled upon said eyebolt and provided with suspending-arms, and a projection upon the frame to engage the face of the post and slide the movable eyebolt forward to place the spring under tension when said frame is arranged in operative position.

5. In a mail-crane, the combination of a supportingpost, brackets arranged upon the front and rear faces of the upper end of the post, eyebolts carried by the post, the upper eyebolt having a sliding movement in the post and. bracket and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a spring surrounding the upper bolt between a head upon the rear end thereof and the rear bracket and serving to resist forward movement of I said bolt, a swinging frame pivotally mounted upon the eyebolts and provided with suspending-arms, and a projection upon the frame having oppositelyextending portions to engage the front bracket when the frame is moved from either of its normal positions to operative position to effect a forward sliding movement of the upper eyebolt against the resistance of the spring to hold said frame in supporting position.

6. A mail-crane comprising a supportingpost, a swinging bag-supporting frame journaled at top and bottom in bearings upon the post, one of said bearings having a sliding movement, means for resisting such movement, and a projection upon the frame to engage the post to hold the frame in operative position against said resistance.

7. A mail-crane comprising a supporting-- post, bearings upon the post, one of said bearings having a sliding movement, a bag-supporting frame journaled in said bearings, spring means for resisting movement of the sliding bearing, and a projection upon the frame to engage the post to hold the frame in operative position against the resistance of said spring means.

8. A mail-crane comprising a supportingpost, bearings upon said post, one of said bearings having a sliding movement, a spring for normally holding the sliding bearing retracted, a swinging bag-supporting frame journaled in said bearings, and a projection upon the frame, operative to engage the post when the frame is in supporting position to hold the same in such position against the resistance of said spring.

9. A mail-crane comprising a supportingpost, bearings upon the post, one of said bearings being movably mounted, a spring associated with said bearing to resist the outward movement thereof, a bag-supporting frame j ournaled in said bearings, and means upon said frame to engage the post, whereby the movable bearing may be adjusted so that the pressure of its controlling-spring will hold the supporting-frame in operative position.

10. A mail-crane comprising a supportingpost, bearings upon the post, one of said bearings being slidably mounted, a spring resisting outward movement of said sliding bearing, a swinging bag-supporting frame journaled in said bearings, a wear member upon with loops forming stops and handholds, and I0 the post, and a projection upon the frame to means for holding the frame in adjusted poengage said wear-plate to force the frame and sition. movable bearing outward, whereby the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature spring will serve to hold the frame in operain presence of two witnesses. tive position. v GEORGE J CRAMER.

11. In a mail-crane, a post, a swinging Y l/Vitnesses: frame mounted thereon and provided with H. H. VVHIT, suspending-arms, said arms being provided JOHN F. SIEBERN. 

